dow at me, and I fired
at them: you were sleeping so soundly that you only half awoke; but you
must keep still a few minutes longer."

"I thought that was you on the roof," she added, in a lower voice.

That there was someone overhead was certain. The rasping sound of a
person moving carefully along the peak of the roof was audible. The lad
understood the meaning of that which puzzled him when on the lower
floor: one of the warriors was carefully climbing the chimney--a task
not difficult, because of its rough uneven formation.

The significance of such a strange act remained to be seen. It appeared
unlikely that any of the Sioux were daring enough to attempt a descent
of the chimney; but that such was really his purpose became clear within
the following minute.

The Indian, after making his way a short distance along the peak,
returned to the chimney, where, from the noises which reached the
listening ones, it was manifest that he was actually making his way
down the flue, broad enough to admit the passage of a larger body than
himself.

"I won't be caught foul _this_ time," said Melville, turning to descend
the stairs again; "Dot, stay right where you are on the bed till I come
back or call to you."

She promised to obey, and there could be no doubt that she would do so.

"They must think I'm stupid," muttered the youth, taking his position in
the middle of the room, with his rifle cocked and ready for instant use;
"but they will find out the idiot is some one else."

He had not long to wait when in the large open space at the back of the
stove appeared a pair of moccasins groping vaguely about for support.
The pipe from the stove, instead of passing directly up the chimney,
entered it by means of an elbow. Had it been otherwise, the daring
warrior would have found himself in a bad fix on arriving at the bottom.

It would have been idle for the young man standing on the watch to fire
at the feet or legs, and he waited an instant, when the Indian dropped
lightly on his feet, and, without the least hesitation, stepped forward
in the apartment and confronted Melville.

The latter was dumbfounded, for the first glance at his face showed that
he was the chieftain Red Feather, the Indian whom of all others he least
expected to see.

The act of the savage was without any possible explanation to the
astonished youth, who, recoiling a step, stared at him, and uttered the
single exclamation--

"Red Feather!"

"